Means for ascertaining the temperature of illuminating-gas in mains.



No". 867,907. PATENTED 0012s, 19o

c. o. BOND @L c. G. TUTWILEE. y MEANS EOE ASGERTAINING TEE TEMPERATURE0E ILLUMINATING GAS IN MAINS.

AP/TSLIOATION FILED NOV. 21. 1906.

"UNITEDsTATEs PATENT 'OFFICE' CHARLES o. soND AND CARRINGTON o. TUYTWILER, OFPHILADELHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNoRsTo THE UNITEDGAS-IMPROVEMENT COMPANY, or, PHILADELPHTA, PENN- SYLVANIA, A CORPORATONO F I NNSYLVAN IA.

MEANS Fon'AscERTArNrNG 'r1-IE TEMPERATURE oF; I'r-.LUmNA'TING-GAS'rumeurs.

Be it known that we, CHiiRLEs O.fB oNn and-GAR- RINGToNf. TUTwILEiz,both' yc itizensof the United States, residing at Phi 1 ade'l1'1l1iaj"`infthev countyof Philadelphia and Stateof Pennsylvania,havejointly invented new and. useful for YAscertaining vthe iTemperature of Illuniinating-Gain Mains, v of .which presently describedand finally claimed.

the following is aspecification. i

It is often desirable' to be able izo-ascertain the lowest temperaturewhich illuminating gas has 'reached after leaving the works and .priorto its delivery to the consumer, or, in other words, to ascertain thelowest tem- 'pe'rat ure imparted to thegas by the mains or otherconduits'or apparatus through which it has passed and. this temperaturevaries from time to time as with` the seasons ofthe 4year. Those skilledin the art will understand the importance of this knowledge, but. it maybe stated that the effect of lowering thetemperature of the gas is todeprive it of certain vapors among which 'are some that vpossessvaluable illuminating properties, so that .in order to insure fullcandlepowergas at the points of'con'sumption, it is not unusual to vary thecomposition of the. gas at the works in accordance with the varyingtemperatures to which it will be subjected in its passage to theconsumer.

- The principal object of the present invention is to provide adirect-reading hygrometer for the determination of the minimumtemperatures attainedfby the gas in its passage from the source ofsupply to the consumers, and to this and other ends hereinafter'setforth the invention comprisesthe hygrometer to b The nature andcharacteristic featuresl of the invention will be more fully understoodfrom Vthefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing in which there is illustrated principally in vertical section ahygrometer embodying features of the invention.

Before describing the'structure of the hygrometer in connection with thedrawings and explaining its mode-of operation, the principle upon whichit operates in connection with the ascertainment ofthe lowesttemperature which the gas has reached in Aits passage through the .mainswill be set forth.

If the temperatureof a gas saturated at a given temoperature with wateror other vapors is lowered appreciably below the point of saturationthese vapors will begin to deposit out in liquid form, even though thegas may have been first raised to a higher temperature' and providedthat it is not allowed to come into contact with other vapors at thehigher temperature. The point of deposition is called the "dew point. lfgas taken from the mains is cooled down to the point at which itjust-commences to deposit water vapor, the

j vSpecification of Letters Patent. v 1 Application filed Ioremher.21,1906 Serial No. 844,40@

ing through the L stopper 7.

Pa'ntea oct. s, 1907.

temperature to which-nit is thus cooled will be the minimumtemperaturewhich it reached in the mains.

-This presupposes and itis usually the' casejthatthe water -condensationlying in the holders andmains is I covered with a film of pil whichprevents the gas from picking up water vapor at a higher temperature.The effect of vapors '0i hydrocarbons picked up by the gas must beconsidered, as they too" will deposit dew' vwhich cannot bedistinguished from water dew by thc naked eye. It may therefore benecessary`to remove some oi theunfixcd vapors, including those hydrocar-'bon vapors which may have thus been picked up by the gas. l

' In the drawings l,is a tube, as oi glass, contracted or narrowing atits bottom to form a gas intake 2, yand provided with a lateralopening`or tubular extension 3, forming a gas off-take. Passing into thetop of-this external orI gas tube l, and extending towards the bottomthereof isa tube 4, having a closed lower end and provided with alateral branch or opening 5 6, is a stopperclosing the top of the tube1, and through which passes the tube 4. Within the inner or cooling tube4, is arranged a thermometer 6, which is supported by astopper 7., thatcloses the upper end ofthe tube 4. j

8, is a duct or' tube leading from the opening 5, and

discharging near thebottom o f 'the tube 4, and the bulb of thethermometer.

9, is an outlet from the interior of the tube 4, and it is shown tocomprise an open ended tube extend- 10, is a bulb or the 5, by a rubberhose'11,vand adapted Ato supply air through the tube or duct 8, anddischarge it within thetube4."j Q

12, is an ot'ake'connection'from the tube 4.`

13, is a tube conn'e'ctedwith the gas offtake.

14, is a chamber interposed between the gas intake 2, andthe source 15,which the gas to be,exam' ined is drawn.

16, is material @stained adapted tofre'ethe gas from interfering vaporswhich -i't may have picked up and to which reference has' already beenmade.

Anexam'ple of such material is subdivided rubber.

In using the apparatus for testing, 'gas is passed at the rate ofaboutdive feet per hour into and through)I the pentane or ether israpidly vaporized and lowers in the chamber and v 85 like, connectedwith the tube ino theitemperature of the closed end of the test tube tothe degree indicated by the thermometer 6". As

against by removing the interfering'vapors by some such means as areindicated at 14.

What We claim is:

1. A direct reading hygrometer for the determination of minimumtemperatures in gas'mains and the 1ike`comprisng means for establishinga flow of gas fromthe mains and for excluding the flowing gas from theair and cooling the same and exhibiting moisture of condensationtherefrom, and a thermometer exposed to the cooling means for indicatingthe temperature of said devices, substantially as described.

2. A direct reading hygrometei for the determination of minimumtemperatures in gas mains and the like comprising means for establishinga flow of gas from the mains and for excluding the'ilowing gas from theair and coolingr the same and exhibiting moisture of condensationtherefrom, a thermometer exposed to the Vcooling means 3. A hygrometercomprising the combination of a gas chamber having a gas inlet andoutlet, u cooling chamber arranged in the gas chamber and provided withcooling means and upon which condensation is exhibited and a thermometerexposed to the cooling means [or ascertaining the temperaturel at thecooling chamber, substantially as described.

4. A hygrometer comprising the combination of a gas chamber having a gasinlet and outlet, a cooling,r chamber arranged in the gas chamber andprovided with cooling means and upon which condensation is exhibited, athermometei` exposed to the cooling means for ascertaining thetemperature at the cooling chamber, and apparatus at the gas inlet forremoving unlixed vapors from the gas, substantially as described.

5. A hygrometer comprising the combination of an ex ternal tube having acontracted end constituting a gas in let and a lateral openingconstituting a'gas outlet, an intel-nal tube arranged in the externaltube and having a closed end, a stoppenbetween said tubes, a stopper forthe inner tube, a thermometer arranged in the inner tube and supportedby its stopper, a duct leading into the inner tube and arranged todischarge near its closed und and near the thermometer, and an outletfrom the inner tube, substantially as described.

In testimonyuvhereof we have hereunto signed our names.

CHARLES O. BOND. CARRINGTON C. 'LU'IWILER.

Witnesses:

F. il. MAC Monats, F. B. RANKIN.

